Letter: How to explain state’s support for death penalty?

Traditionally, New Hampshire has been very frugal, especially in the area of government expenditures.

We want to spend money only on programs that work. But when it comes to the issue of capital punishment, our eyes glaze over and we throw frugality to the winds and we are willing to spend millions to try to execute someone.

How can we explain this hiccup in our logic?

We say that we want a capital punishment law on the books to deter murderers. But there is no evidence that such a law works. Could it be that some people simply want revenge?

Perhaps they think they will feel better if the state can fry or hang or gas a murderer. And what if we discovered afterward that a mistake had been made? Wouldn’t that make all New Hampshire residents guilty of having killed an innocent person? I don’t want that responsibility.

Bravo Left! Great letter.
We need tort reform badly. How many times can these poor excuses for human beings be allowed to appeal their convictions?
All they have to do is get a crack jack lawyer who will try and get them off on a technicality.
The cost of capital punishment is in the appeals. That needs to stop.

Left_US_Rightzxcv wrote:

11/27/2012

This is a money issue only in that we have allowed it to turn into one.
You kill anyone with malice and intent then you should forfeit your life. There should be no question about that consequence, none.The verdict should get a second look to make sure that it has been rendered correctly and in a reasonable amount of time. The sentence should not even be a point of appeal.
We need to show the criminal element in our society that those that protect our society cannot be killed without consequence.
The only time convicted killers are concerned about rights are when they are their own. I am in favor of the sentence and the future use of this penalty for this crime.

callerzxcv wrote:

11/26/2012

I believe we all wish we lived in a time and place where murderers and rapists and pedophiles did not exist but that is not the world we live in.
Legally executed criminals have a zero probability of committing more crimes in creating more victims. These most heinous of criminals have a higher probability of more violent crime with any sentence short of that. There can be escapes and a number of unjust legal proceedings that can put these predators back amongst the law-abiding citizens.
You correctly cite the costs involved. However the excessive and burdensome costs are there only because the trial lawyers Association has been able to lobby for rules regulation and legislation that guarantees them income stream and at a cost to the taxpayers. Keeping people who have unjustly killed others in prison for life is extremely expensive and it works as long as you're willing to spend other people's money.